1. Field of Invention
Snoring is normally the result of vibration of the uvula, soft palate, and adjacent structures during sleep and signals partial obstruction due to the narrowing of the upper airway at that site. In most cases of snoring, breathing is normal or minimally impaired, and symptoms primarily concern sleep disturbance and the social consequences of snoring. In others, snoring is associated with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a serious condition characterized by intermittent upper airway obstructions that require arousal for relief.
This invention relates to a dental orthosis for use in reducing snoring. It is adapted to be placed within the mouth and in the dental arch defined by the upper teeth. The device may be fitted to the wearer by a professional in the dental arts or by the layman.
The upper portion of the device consists of a trench to receive the upper teeth. Once properly fitted, the device will firmly grip all upper teeth forward of the premolars and remain positioned independent of natural motions of the lower jaw. The lower portion of the device is formed into a ramp structure whereby natural jaw motions, including the bite reflex, encourage the engagement of the user's lower teeth against the ramp, which will cam the lower jaw into a more forward position. An aperture in the device between the upper portion and the lower portion facilitates the passage of air for mouth breathing and attracts the tongue forward. By inducing the lower jaw and tongue to a more forward position, the device induces a more open airway in the user resulting in a significant reduction in snoring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices are known in the art intended for the reduction of snoring, as are other oral devices to be received in the mouth to prevent or reduce damage to the oral cavity during athletic competition, such as boxing or football.
The athletic mouth guards are intended to prevent the abrading of the soft tissue of the lips and cheeks against the teeth and to prevent the upper and lower teeth from forcibly engaging one another, with resultant and permanent mechanical damage.
Various snore reducing devices intended for placement in the oral cavity are known in the prior art. Some are arranged to seal the lips of the wearer, one to another, thus blocking the mouth. Others recognize that portions of the uvula, soft palate, and adjacent structures vibrate during sleep in response to the passage of air past these tissues, and thereby attempt to minimize such vibrations by sharply reducing the volume of air passing through the mouth without necessarily completely blocking the mouth. However, if the nose is blocked, or partially blocked, this reduction of the airway increases the velocity of the air passing those tissues and snoring can actually increase.
An example of prior art devices is found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,674,336 issued to King for Respirator. King intends that his device will maintain a plentiful supply of oxygen to the blood of a user during sleep, and even reduce snoring. His structure comprises an upper channel and a lower channel to receive and hold apart the upper and the lower teeth, respectively. The two channels are spaced apart vertically to prop the upper and lower front teeth apart. The invention includes a central air passage which opens into the upper and lower channels. Projections from the sides of the upper channel support the tongue in an elevated position and define between them an air channel.
The King device much resembles an athletic mouthguard. It includes an upper channel and a lower channel to receive the teeth of the user and provides for an air passage between the channels. In use, the device props the teeth of a user apart in a fixed position so that air may pass in and out of the mouth more freely during sleep through the central air passage. Projections from the upper channel support the tongue in an elevated position to prevent blocking of the air passage. The device moves the lower jaw downward, which King claims opens the posterior airway to facilitate the passage of air to and from the throat and lungs. As the device receives the top and bottom teeth and fixes their relative position, natural mouth motions, including motion of the lower jaw, are prevented.
In contradistinction to the teachings discussed above, the invention described hereinafter does not fix the position of the upper and lower jaws and tongue. Instead, by an adroit arrangement of structure, the device attaches firmly to the upper jaw, while allowing natural mouth movements and motions of the lower jaw and teeth, and tongue. The present invention further is distinguished in providing a ramp to engage the lower anterior teeth and induce forward movement of the lower jaw, resulting in the opening of the posterior airway. King makes no provision for a ramp. It provides for only a lower trench with sides to accommodate the lower jaw and fix it's position.